1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to electric motors and generators. More particularly, this invention relates to electric motor and generator components having electrically conductive windings with large cross sections.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Electric motors and generators are well known and in widespread use. There are a variety of applications for electric motors and generators. Depending on the application, different motor and generator characteristics are required.
In conventional electric motors and generators, stator windings are constructed by winding coils of conductors. For many applications the coils are constructed using one to three single strand conductors in parallel in order to provide the desired characteristics. For higher speed or low voltage applications, however, the electromagnetic design often requires a coil that has a lower number of turns and a proportionally increased cross sectional area of each turn. The increased cross section is typically achieved by using larger cross section conductors or a plurality of conductors in parallel.
Motors and generators having a large cross sectional area per turn of the winding are difficult or impractical to manufacture using conventional approaches. Large cross-section conductors, for example, are difficult to manipulate and form. A disadvantage of using a plurality of conductors in parallel is that it can be difficult to maintain the several parallel conductors together during the manufacturing or winding process.
Additionally, whichever of the approaches is chosen, there is a requirement for making an electrical connection between the winding wires and an external power source. In conventional arrangements, a separate lead wire is connected to the stator winding to make such a connection. This introduces an additional manufacturing step and introduces the possibility for a less than perfect connection to be made.
This invention addresses the need for being able to easily manufacture and design an electric motor or generator component requiring windings with large cross sectional areas.